Source code includes programming statements and instructions that are written by a programmer in accordance with a given computer programming language, such as C++, Java, or another type of computer programming language, for a given computer program. A programmer writes source code, but the source code may not be directly executable by a computing system. Rather, the source code is first converted into object code or executable code by a compiler, an assembler, or an interpreter. Alternatively, the source code may be interpreted while the computer program is itself being executed.
Testing of a computer program is typically accomplished to ensure that the source code of the computer program has been developed correctly, so that the computer program operates or performs properly. One type of testing includes developing a number of sets of test data, where the test data over all the sets is sufficient to ensure testing of all aspects of the computer program. That is, if testing of the computer program yields proper functioning of the computer program on the basis of all the sets of test data, then it can be concluded that the computer program is performing properly.
For a complex computer program, however, there may be a large number of test data sets. Therefore, testing of the computer program can be a time-consuming and laborious process. Each time the source code for the computer program is changed, generally what occurs is that the computer program is retested using all the sets of test data again, to ensure that the modification of the source code has not caused the computer program to no longer function properly. However, doing so is disadvantageous, since testing and retesting on the basis of all the sets of test data is so time-consuming.
For this and other reasons, therefore, there is a need for the present invention.